Peer-reviewed Publishing in Cultural Materials Conservation

The Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation is conducting a study on the topical subject of peer-reviewed publishing, and the contribution of your thoughts and experience will be of the upmost value. This research is being undertaken as part of my enrolment in the Master of Cultural Materials Conservation at the Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation (University of Melbourne). The supervising researcher for this project is A/Prof Robyn Sloggett. The project has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee (reference number 1339714.1).

The aim of this project is to investigate conservators’ experiences of the current environment of peer-reviewed publishing in the field of cultural materials conservation, looking at the following key questions:

• What value do conservators place on the communication of their research? (i.e. publication in peer reviewed journals, publication in organisation/ institution newsletters, publication in conference proceedings, participation in conferences and workshops etc.) • What are the obstacles and incentives of publishing?• What do conservators see as the benefits of publication to themselves and the field?• How the interdisciplinary nature of the field impacts on the way in which research is communicated and accessed by conservators?

Should you choose to participate please answer all questions as accurately as possible. Participation in this study is voluntary and you are free to withdraw consent at any time and to withdraw any unprocessed data previously supplied. We will protect your anonymity and the confidentiality of your responses to the fullest possible extent, within the limits of the law. The data will be kept securely by The School of Historical and Philosophical Studies for five years from the date of publication, before being destroyed.

Once the thesis arising from this research has been completed, a brief summary of the findings can be made available to you, and you will be invited to attend a presentation of the research project in October 2013. We also hope that the results will be presented at upcoming conferences.

Please contact the researchers if you have any questions or if would like more information about the project.

If you have any concerns about the conduct of the project please contact the Manager, Human Research Ethics, Office for Research Ethics and Integrity, The University of Melbourne, on ph: 8344 2073, or fax: 9347 6739.